Re: Family values

: : : : Taking time from my holiday for a question that has come up. Does anyone know who coined the term "family values"? I'm guessing it originates in the late 70's/ early 80's and that it is political jargon but I'd like to know for sure.

: : : : All is well here in spite of the 3 foot long reptile lurking in the basement.

: : : : Regards,
: : : : Camel

: : : Where are you? What is that reptile? I sincerely hope your family values will ensure you are well protected!!!!

: : Well, it says here:

: : "(Vice President Dan) Quayle coined the term 'family values,' and though no one could define exactly what he was talking about, politicians and commentators soon began rhapsodizing about the concept as though it had real meaning. Quayle's most famous campaign was an attack on the sitcom 'Murphy Brown,' but he had other things to say, too.

: : 'We're not going to redefine the family. Everybody knows the definition of the family. A child. A mother. A father. There are other arrangements of the family, but that is a family and family values.'

: : Quayle said this in 1989, yet the 1990 census showed that during the preceding decade, 64% of American families were not composed of a child or children, and a married mother and father."

: Well, Quayle didn't exactly say the child's parents had to be married, did he? Let alone married to each other

Many thanks ESC, et. al.

Interesting... it was as late as that, was it? I'm going to have a look at some of my books at home - I don't think any of the authors coined the term but I think they may be referring to it pre-Quayle.

Regarding the snake, I'm in up-state New York. The plumber claims he had to remove an Austrailian Carpet Python from the rafters in our basement. (The original owners of the housekept snakes - but that was over 40 years ago.) The local snake expert thinks they may have remembered the snake as bigger/longer/blacker than it really was. We may never know. I have found two one-foot long snake skins in the basement and have resloved not to worry seriously until I find one that is longer than that.